


Odd Numbers Are Made of Bitterness: The Tale of A Third Wheel

by delinquentdee



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternative Universe - No Island, F/F, F/M, Theme park fun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-27
Updated: 2017-01-27
Packaged: 2018-09-20 07:07:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9480494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/delinquentdee/pseuds/delinquentdee
Summary: Being bitter about your lack of love life is normal. What's not normal is being a wet blanket while at an amusement park. Having to ride alone on every attraction is no excuse.





	

Bitterness is not an attractive quality. Okay, that is in dire need of a rephrasing. Bitterness is not an attractive quality _in people_ \- dark chocolate, grapefruit, and broccoli rabe are free, and highly encouraged, to be as bitter as they choose. No matter how many bars of dark chocolate a grown woman consumes, that bitterness should not carry into her personality. If that wasn’t a phrase on a cross-stitched doily off Etsy, Felicity would have to head to the craft store tomorrow and rectify that rather unfortunate and enormous error on society’s part.

Felicity wasn’t sure if bitter was the right word to describe herself as. The amount of times she repeated the word in her head was starting to annoy her. Perhaps it’s the most abundantly used term to describe a single woman who feels annoyed/enamored/depressed by the loving displays her two friends are engaging in. It’s not about being romantically single, though. At least, not entirely,

Nyssa was without a doubt Felicity’s best friend. While Felicity spent most of her young adult life rebelling against any and all forms of authority, she did so in a way that didn’t reflect her true essence. How can you make friends, real _true_ friends when you aren’t being yourself? It took her a few years of growing and adjusting to become the kind of revolutionary that she was proud of. In the path to finding herself, she also found Sara Lance and life was never the same again. Nyssa inspired Felicity to be stronger, to stand taller, and to fight harder. As backwards as it may seem, this brought Felicity to a happier place in life. Instead of rebelling because of feeling weak and powerless, aren’t Daddy issues a bitch, she had become a strong and secure woman who put her skills and knowledge to work against big systems. Her cyber security firm was a fantastic success, and of course that is in large part due to her own talents and perseverance, but she can’t deny the impact Nyssa had on her life as a whole.

As someone who never truly had a friend in the conventional term, their relationship was quite perfect. To say that Nyssa is a free spirit sounds too much like a loving elderly woman when describing her unemployed granddaughter who steals prescription bottles when she visits the nursing home for Bingo night. Felicity would describe Nyssa as a free spirit, but would be quick to elaborate that Nyssa does what makes her happy and feels no pressure to be tied down. While some may have taken that description as meaning “commitmentphobe” Felicity would heartily disagree, but only because the proper term is gamophobic. Yes, Nyssa was always a little uneasy with the idea of being in a relationship, but that never bothered Felicity because the fear was of a romantic relationship and marriage, (Mommy and Daddy issues this time), and it only meant that Nyssa and Felicity spent more time together… until they didn’t.

That seems awfully unfair to Sara. Felicity loves Sara, platonically of course! She makes Nyssa happy, she is a genuinely good person, and she’s nice to Felicity. But sometimes she was frustrated. It was both logical and illogical for Felicity to be jealous of Sara, or at least 95% irrational and 5% ‘I get it’. She and Nyssa had become such a dynamic pair that the inclusion of Sara, especially after years of Nyssa avoiding any long term relationships, made their relationship feel rocky. Or more accurately, it made Felicity withdrawn and Nyssa confused as to why in the hell her usually talkative best friend was suddenly so quiet. Only after a particularly embarrassing moment on Felicity’s behalf when Nyssa broke into Felicity’s apartment only to find her best friend sitting on the floor crying with No Doubt’s _Don’t Speak_ on repeat, was Nyssa able to understand what was happening in that beautifully oversized brain.

Nyssa, beautiful and sweet summer child that she is, thought the best way to make Felicity feel better was to have group hangouts. Group meaning the couple, Sara and Nyssa, and Felicity. It was less “group” and more “horribly uncomfortable experience” at first, but they found a way to make the situation not only work, but flourish.

A year or so later, and here they were at Flaming Arrows, Starling’s very own amusement park. While Felicity had grown past the slight resentment she had for her best friend and her best friend’s girlfriend, again totally not fair to Sara- she is Felicity’s friend too! There was still bitterness for the couple. And not just because there wasn’t any significant other in Felicity’s life who could win a stuffed animal for her like Sara did for Nyssa at the ring toss, or that she had nobody to give the other half of a heart charm. It was entirely because amusement parks cater to even numbers.

Nearly every ride at Flaming Arrows followed the same procedure. The ladies would all get on line. Time would fly by because of the laughing and joking that they partook in. When they finally arrived at the head of the line, they would tell the attendant there were three in their party. The attendant would then tell which rows to take, and often would yell for a single rider to join on with them. Felicity refused to accept Sara and Nyssa’s offers to be the odd woman out, so that left her sitting behind her friends next to more often than not, twelve year olds. Loud twelve year olds. Overly enthusiastic twelve year olds. Girls with high pitched screams, and boys going through life’s changes who had interchangeably high pitched, squeaky, and deep screams. It was a less than stellar situation.

“Tell me he couldn’t be your kid!” Sara laughed ardently, pushing the souvenir photo into Felicity’s face.

Nyssa scoffed, or at least tried to with her mouth full of cheese fries. “Felicity looks barely a heartbeat older than him. Look at that facial hair. If she has a kid that old, she belongs in a Guinness book.”

Felicity steadied Sara’s hand to get a better look at the picture. “Not one of us looks cute here,” Felicity frowned. “We don’t look terrified either. If I posted this on Instagram or Twitter, I wouldn’t even be able to come up with a witty hashtag. Why in the name of ASCII did you buy this?”

“Felicity,” Nyssa stared at her friend dumbfounded, although one could argue she looked more dumb than just dumbfounded because of the cheese on her cheek. “She bought every picture we’ve taken so far. How did you miss that?”

Sara tutted. “It’s not like I paid for them, guys. I have a season pass and the pictures come free! I’m getting my money’s worth, thank you very much. And if along with that I end up finding Felicity’s long lost son, then it is absolutely worth it, thank you very much!” She put the photo into her backpack with mock outrage. Her charade didn’t last long. As soon as she zipped the bag back up, she patted it lovingly. “Your mom is having a tough time coping with you coming back in her life Hubert. She’ll come around.”

Felicity chuckled, nearly making her lemonade shoot from her nostrils. Nyssa just shook her head slowly. “I’m not sure which part of that bothers me more. That you have a season pass here, or that of any name in the universe, you chose Hubert to be Felicity’s non-son’s name.”

Sara licked the cheese from Nyssa’s face less in an uncomfortable-in-public sexual way, and more in the playful childish way that Sara was accustomed to being. She looked over at Felicity, “Don’t you go judging me too! My sister and her fiancé come here all the time and they convinced me to buy a season pass. It’s hard to say no to your sister. If either of you had one, you would know! Besides that, it gets me 15% off of merchandise so when you mob wives want affordable souvenirs later, on I want you to remember that you mocked me and yet you still want the fruits of my labor.”

Felicity pointed to her face, “This horrified expression is not for the season pass. It’s for Hubert. It’s a terrible name. Please let me use your discount for a name mug.”

Nyssa threw a soggy, and thankfully cheese-less, fry at Felicity. “Don’t condone the season pass buying! Every time I try to suggest something fun like mini golf or bowling she has to bring up her pass. ‘Three more visits and it will have paid for itself,’ is the lie she keeps telling me.”

Sara nipped at Nyssa chin, in a more PDA kind of way this time.

“Can I see the other pictures Sara?” Felicity asked. It wasn’t that displays of affection annoyed her usually, but today after sitting alone on nearly every ride it was kind of making her uncomfortable.

Felicity flipped through the pictures while she faintly heard the couple use phrases such as, “You’re so cute with,” and “You’re adorable when you,” and “Love you”.

One particular photo caught Felicity’s eye. In the picture it looked as though she and the man sitting next to her were talking to each other. She must have expressed her interest out loud because the duo perked up. “What’s that, Lis?” Sara asked.

Felicity just flipped the photo around on the table to show them. “I could totally send this to my mom the next time she asks me about if I’m dating someone. It looks like we’re together.”

Nyssa frowned deeply. “If by together you mean you’re on the same ride together, yeah. Together as in you’re dating him, no. Absolutely not.”

Ordinarily, this comment wouldn’t matter to Felicity. She wouldn’t over analyze it. She would roll with it. She would forget it was ever said. But today wasn’t ordinary. Third wheel bitterness, you remember that don’t you?  

“What’s that supposed to mean?” There was a tinge of anger behind her question. It was enough to get Sara’s eyes to open slightly more than they were and for Nyssa to sit up straighter.

“I meant that if you showed me that picture I wouldn’t believe you were together, Felicity.” Nyssa said sharply. Eager to get her point across, she cut Felicity off from speaking. “I wouldn’t believe it because he doesn’t look like he’s paying any attention to you. You deserve better than a guy who doesn’t give you the time of day.”

Felicity’s eyes welled up a little. It was partly embarrassment, partly gratitude at her friend’s love, and partly just because where the hell did this bitterness, ugh again with that word, come from?

With her gaze on the table and not on her friends, Felicity spoke up trying to add some humor to the situation. “That’s a lot of thought going behind a stupid picture.”

Felicity could see Sara in her peripheral vision. She was looking between Nyssa and Felicity until she kept her gave on Nyssa, silently asking her if she should give them a minute.

Felicity’s head popped up. “I’m sorry guys, I’m being weird. I know. No actually I don’t know where all this is coming from, and I’m making it even weirder. Please don’t mind me.”

Felicity looked up, noticing that both women were not going to drop the subject. “I’ve been feeling bitter, I think? I keep using it in my head, anyway. And by using I mean exhaustingly _over_ using. It’s a mental cold sore. I get stressed over how I’m feeling and then it pops up in my head. And I’m almost certain that I’m not feeling as hostile as bitter represents, but somehow in the repetition of the word it’s maybe turning me more hateful. Ugh, that’s too strong. It’s just making me more,” she shuffled her hands as though they might be able to pull a better word out, when she finally settled for, “bitter.”

Sara reached across the table to grab her hand. That was another great thing about Sara. As loving as Nyssa is, physical contact just wasn’t her territory of comfort.

“It seems to me like whatever has been going on in that head of yours has been happening for a while. And it doesn’t even sound like you’re sure what the problem is. Maybe you want to talk us through it.”

Felicity sighed. “I think it’s because everyone seems to be coupling up lately. And then there’s me. Alone. And I shouldn’t be so unhappy with being single, so that adds on top of my irritation.”

Sara’s face transformed into one of deep regret. “Felicity, have I ever made you feel uncomfortable? I’m re-”. Felicity wouldn’t let her finish. “No, absolutely not. This isn’t on you. Actually, saying it out loud has made me feel so much better. It sounds so foolish now that I’m truly letting myself think about it.”

Neither of the women looked as though they believed her, so she elaborated. “Really. Maybe this was a wake up call. I’m not in a relationship because I don’t dedicate time for looking for someone, not because I’m a horrible monster. I can’t complain about something that I spend zero amount of time looking for.” At the worried face Nyssa made, she powered on. “But I am also not going to force something just because I feel alone sometimes. Like I said, wake up call. Note to Felicity: be more receptive to potential male suitors.  Brief mental anguish time is through, and I’m good again.”

Knowing Felicity’s amazing ability to bounce back from all sorts of wacky problems, evidence of this being an entire company that specializes in that sort of thing, Nyssa realized Felicity was going to be okay. At least, for now.

Sara sensing the heartfelt portion of the afternoon was through, squeezed Felicity’s hand before pulling it back to her side of the table. “Full disclosure, I don’t think you’re going to get anywhere fast by referring to dudes as male suitors.”

* * *

 

The women ventured through the park once more, going on the less adventurous rides as they let the food in their stomachs settle.

“Do you think we’re ready for the wooden coaster yet?” As Nyssa asked, she shoveled more cotton candy in her mouth.

“Depends on if you’re gonna yak up pastels on Sara.”

“In that case, let’s hurry. I see that middle school coming this way.”

Once under the covered tarp that sheltered the queue, Sara began to worry that maybe Felicity’s odd melancholia would return. “ Do you think that maybe you’d like to ride with me Lis? I’m not entirely sure I trust Nyssa’s iron stomach.”

It was clear to Felicity that Sara was giving her an opportunity to not be alone again, but Felicity was being honest when she told them that her period of brief anger/hostility/sadness was over.

“Actually, I kind of want to sit with the single rider still. I have a plan.” She looked over her shoulders conspiratorially and huddled herself near the pair. Nyssa and Sara gathered closer, eager to see what had Felicity grinning like a child.

When Felicity was pleased with the amount of distance between them, she whispered, “You’ll see when we get the picture.”

As promised, when they exited the ride, Sara retrieved her free souvenir photo and waited until she and Nyssa were together to view it.

Crowding around the photo all three women laughed when they saw Felicity blowing a kiss to the older gentleman sitting next to her. His wrinkled cheeks held a light flush of color, which was most definitely from the ride they were on, but it seemed as though he were blushing from the attention of the beautiful blonde to his left.

Felicity continued to pose entertainingly with strangers on each attraction they rode. With a pose and backstory in mind for her net photo opportunity, Felicity gladly walked down to row 7 behind Nyssa and Sara. With the duo clearly lost in their own world, they didn’t notice the man that was told to follow behind Felicity towards row 7.

He was absolutely gorgeous. Felicity briefly wondered if he would fit in the seat’s harness restraints, seeing as he was broad and muscled.

She saw his mouth moving and eyes focused on hers, but she couldn’t make out what he was saying. A loud voice on the other side of the rollercoaster track yelled out, “Please step into the vehicle.” She was too busy checking out Mr. Gorgeous that she didn’t realize that she was supposed to board the vehicle.

“Would you mind going in first?” She asked, surprised that a fully functioning sentence came out of her mouth.

She smiled politely, “No problem.”

Thankfully with the hottie going in first, she could escape quickly from the ride on their return to the station.

Felicity briefly wondered if she should go on with her plan to pose for the photo. He must have taken her contemplation as a sign of fear. As the ride began its ascent up the track he leaned over as much as his safety harness would allow. “I promise it’s not a bad ride at all, but I won’t be able to stop myself from screaming on the drop.”

Felicity smiled wide. His face was too pretty to not mirror the happiness she found in his expression. In that moment she decided to go ahead with her plan. He was clearly too gorgeous to be single. His girlfriend or boyfriend must have been behind him on the single rider line and they agreed on riding separately to cut down on waiting times. He wouldn’t even check the picture when they got off. None of the other single riders did.

True to his word, she yelled joyously on the drop and all throughout the ride. When they came to the stop at the end, he looked over to his partner, only to see her scurry away almost as instantly as the locking mechanism was released.

Felicity hid in the gift shop behind a display of stuffed animals with a vantage point that allowed her to see the photo area. In a moment of absolute horror she watched as Mr. Gorgeous scanned the screens until he saw their photo. It was clear from his quizzical expression that he found what their photo. He stayed there, most certainly waiting for the equally attractive partner he was with’s face to pop up on the screen.

Felicity bobbed through the store careful to avoid the tall and terribly attractive man that she was sitting next to not five minutes ago and the potentially angry girlfriend that may come along with him. Unfortunately, Sara and Nyssa showed up behind her with the printed evidence of her oddness in her hands.

“A picture tells a thousand words, but somehow this one only says, ‘Felicity’s loud voice is nothing to mess with.” Nyssa’s tone sounded impressed. She had heard and seen the power of a “Felicity Loud Voice” on many individuals.

In the photo Felicity is looking directly at the man next to her and it seems as though she is yelling at him. His face looks a bit fearful as though whatever she said was terrifying to him. They looked like they were in the middle of an argument.

“How crazy is that? It’s Ollie! That’s my future brother-in-law’s best friend. I have to find them. What’s the odds that they would be here today too?”

As Nyssa followed Sara through the store she heard Nyssa talking about how the odds were definitely in their favor if they factor in the stupid season passes.

Felicity stood in the middle of the gift shop with the photo in her hands. She was thinking about despite the fact that they looked as though they were in the middle of a domestic dispute, they actually kind of looked good together.

She was lost in her rogue thoughts of fantasizing about a stranger when she heard a deep and memorable voice behind her.

“You know, it’s usually only women who I date who make those faces at me.”

Felicity turned to see the man, _Ollie_ as Sara called him, behind her with a broad smile.

Not one to be caught unaware, at least not caught unaware now that she had already seen his face, what happened before when entering the ride was clearly a fluke, she responded.

“That says less about the girls you date and more about the type of boyfriend you are, actually.”

That only succeeded in making him smile brighter. Somehow Felicity had luck on her side that she didn’t make a fool of herself earlier in the roller coaster, or now that he saw what she was doing on the roller coaster. It seemed as though he actively sought her out.

He stuck out his hand. “I’m Oliver.”

She shook his unbelievably large paw. “Felicity, and I promise I don’t go around fake yelling at strangers. I mean, I do go around making weird faces at strangers, but you’re the only one I yelled at. I pretended to be terrified of a little girl on a free fall and I blew a kiss at an old man on one of the wooden coasters.”

“And here I thought I was lucky by getting to sit next to you, yet there’s a man out there who got a kiss.”

Was he flirting with her? Where the hell did this come from?

He continued on, “So how do you and Sara know each other?”

“Oh we’re friends through Nyssa. You could say I’m third wheeling today, but I’ve been told the more acceptable term these days is tricycling.”

He laughed softly. “I know what you mean. I came here not only with my best friend and his fiancée but also my little sister and her boyfriend. I’m the fifth wheel. That’s worse than a tricycle any day.”

Felicity bit her lip. “I was going to say that you're the spare tire for a car, but I’m not sure if that’s making anything better.”

Before the conversation could go any further, Sara and Nyssa were suddenly back.

“Oh my God, Ollie! How crazy is this? We didn’t even plan it.”

He gazed at felicity quickly before looking back at Sara, “Pretty lucky, huh? It really is a small world.”

Felicity snorted, “Wrong theme park.”

Oliver looked entirely too pleased by her remark. “Hey are you guys staying for the fireworks later?”

The women each confirmed his question with various forms of a “duh” face.

He looked back at Felicity, “I’m not sure how tires and fire will work out, but maybe we should all meet up later.”

Nyssa hummed. “Yeah we could get some coffee and dessert before we find a good viewing spot.”

Sara scrunched up her nose. “Ollie, do you still take your coffee black?”

He sighed, shaking his head. “Sara, Sara, Sara. How many times do I have to tell you? It takes a mature palate to appreciate and enjoy the decadence of bitterness.”

 

Felicity learned that day that sometimes bitter can be pretty sweet. Especially when it’s his tongue she’s tasting it from.

**Author's Note:**

> I highly suggest taking fun pictures with strangers on rides. Especially if you are the eternally single person in your party. Caution, it gets really weird when the dudes show their wives/girlfriends the pictures. Okay, so maybe that is a terrible suggestion, but I like to live on the edge. 
> 
> If anyone caught my name and thought this might be an update on "Who Said Life Isn't Like The Movies?" I apologize. I will pick it back up I swear!! 
> 
> Thanks for reading :)


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